E55 CHAPTER-III AREA OP WLTIYAIION LSD PROIHCTIOII OF PEPPR A proper study oi’ any enhjoet ie dependent on eatietaotory data. One emnot afford to dieregard lord Kelvin'e warning that one more very little or anything until one oontrivee to neeeure it. Adequacy and oeeuraoy apart, agricultural etatietioe have to he available on time in order to be ueeful for planning as well he torm- lation and iepleemtation oi’ national polioiee. In the oaee oi pepper, the production eatinatoe floated by trade intereete are nllloet invariably at variance with thoee oi’ the Goverment. Reliable aclvanee eetilatee of likely premie- tion are, in feet, a pro--reqnieite tor the tozlulation of marketing, export and price polioiee. The National Coili- eeion on Agriculture hee highlighted the need tor preparing "eitIation and outlook reporte" in reepeot oi’ major orolie. such reports, eeeording to the eomaieeion will not only aeeiet the Government in ite polioywork but will he neetel
Transcript
E55
CHAPTER-III
Q
AREA OP WLTIYAIION LSD PROIHCTIOII OF PEPPR
A proper study oi’ any enhjoet ie dependent oneatietaotory data. One emnot afford to dieregard lordKelvin'e warning that one more very little or anythinguntil one oontrivee to neeeure it. Adequacy and oeeuraoyapart, agricultural etatietioe have to he available ontime in order to be ueeful for planning as well he tormlation and iepleemtation oi’ national polioiee. In theoaee oi pepper, the production eatinatoe floated by tradeintereete are nllloet invariably at variance with thoee oi’the Goverment. Reliable aclvanee eetilatee of likely premietion are, in feet, a pro--reqnieite tor the tozlulation ofmarketing, export and price polioiee. The National Coilieeion on Agriculture hee highlighted the need tor preparing"eitIation and outlook reporte" in reepeot oi’ major orolie.such reports, eeeording to the eomaieeion will not onlyaeeiet the Government in ite polioywork but will he neetel
v\ppd b
tor terlere, traders and ennutacturere. ‘me major objectivect this chapter ie thcreiorc to provide an appropriatefactual" frale-work in which the changing conditioue of Indianproduction can be evaluated. The available date ee to thearea oi cultivation and output are not authentic enough touerit eetietectory conclusions.
In u etody ct P1990: crop, the ditticulty to makee conclusive study ie felt in two reopectet
i (a) The area of cultivation has not been enbjectcdto n thorough study tor rcaecue ct ite wide dietrihution and ite location in ecettered, reeote,hilly ereee.
(o) Even here, there are eetetee big ma elell whichere eaeily acoeeeible and where area ct cultivationcould be neeeured properly. But what nee beendone to etuciy the oree of enell-ecnle turning andellell cine backyard tonne in dmeetic eorrouudiqeis very little.
2. teeming that the area oi’ cultivation could be neaeured vith acne precision and certainty, the croparea ie mbject to variations year by year, tor theprice fluctuations often act as a deterrent to thecultivation, particularly with the smell-scale productre oi’ pepper. The ngjcr portion oi’ the pepper
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prodnood in thio country ccooo tron tho oaallholoingo oi’ tho poaoantry.
Tho author ohoold hovo otrooood horo tho vogarioo
oi’ ooathor and oooocon but it io obvious to anybody to ooritdoocriptioa. with thcoo constraints, tho aroo or cultivation and produotion hao hon ootioatod by tho Diroctoroto oiEconomics and stotiotioo, Miniotry oi Agrioolturo, Gcyoraoontof India, troll tho your 1949-50, tho ootinatoo Doing contiaoooo and ocaporoblo.
Illriug tho period aoso-51 to was-so (Iadio'o tirottivo your plan) tho oroa ct cultivation undo: poppor continuouoly inoroaood troll 00,000 hootaroo to 80,000 hoctaroo without any dovolcpooot progrollo andortakoa by tho Government.
Hoooyor, oooo doyolopoont progranoo woro carriod out in tho
ooconc, third and fourth tivo yoar plan poriodo. Towordotho ma of tho Sooood Pivo Your Plan (1900-oi) tho oroo
moor poppor iooroaood by 13,000 hootoroo. Though o provioion or no.i.540 oillioo woo oodo for tho mltiplication oi’planting matorialo of high yiolding local variotioo in Korolo,Kornatako, Loom and Andaouo, only a can oi’ Ro.0.0 million ‘wao utiliood tor tho pnrpooo. ‘mo prioo oi’ poppor which provailod at that tilo woo oloo not attrootivo to tho {amoroHonoo, inoroaoo in ooroago night ho attrihotod to tho toottmt o largo mmhor of tamilioo 1'1-on tho orotvhilo Trayanccrostato oottlod down in_ tho northorn diotrioto of Korala and
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toot up pepper cultivation along with other crepe. In theThird Five Year Plan (1900-at to non-cc) though an anonntat Re.2.28i aillion eae epent tor pepper development progrlliee in Kerala and Karnetaka, with the object oi bringing 6700 hoctaree additionally nnder pepper cultivation and
raining the production by 2,000 tonnee, the area coderpepper remained alncet the eaee m it nae in the beginningor the plan. The production, inetead oi’ recording any increaee, had actually declined by about 5,000 tonnes. In thefollowing yearn there had been a eubetantial increaee in thearea ct cultivation. The table 50.1 given the area, proddetion (with the eetinatee node by the Indian Pepper andspicee Trade Aeeocietion, Cochin) and average. yield tor theperiod 1950-5i to i974-1'5. Incidentally, the official estinnte in Inch leee than the trade estimate. The eetilateprepared by the trade inclndee the etccke maintained by thebig prodnccre, wholeealere and exportera which are releasedby then tron tine to tine depending upon price motor. Hovever, international agencies and inetitntione like Food and"agricultural organisation ct the United Netione, Rona andTropical Procmcta Inatitnte, London accept the trade eatinate for pnrpoeee at conpiliation and connotation. Onehas to emit that at preeent, data on production, area oi’production, yield, internal ccnennption ct pepper ad cropforecast are woefully inadequate. \
‘G%“~£nuW3M’Wqw%__WO _*M_' I////qOLg0NN_uSI‘ HM nuU G 9 9M W 6 W0 _ 9 H/~I / 9“Ni _ _ ' _ 7 _ i _ 1 _ _ _ _ AV_ _ i _¢Nr. . \Q EUR“ Q >sN\<QR§qQqQNM;an _ $_~__Qméig OF fibmg PE/SQDO GHQZHZHmwmggmm QO ZOHQFUDQOJMHW Dzm 5%“ E WazgpICS5S9Ar Mm{ 8FkflQ§\‘_m§\1 Q:_jM“\{Q Q_u_N\“A I A A k
41)
It is clear from Table No.1 tht the increase inthe area has not resulted in proportionate increase in production. It is important to note that in the case ct pepper,the treeon on the part of the growers ie limited to eiteetchanges in the area of cultivation gnd more so in a ehortperiod, since it ie a perennial plant. and hflving epent elarge sun on its rearing up, they are mainly concerned withcurrent ooete of production. But in the long run they arecertainly influenced by the rel returns tree their investments on this plantation. The prodcere' income ae deternined by the~unit value realised by the peasants is, nodonbt, a significant factor in the matter or the are broughtunder cultivatic and the inputs applied. There are othercrops which compete with pepper and this adversely atteotthe are under pepper cultivation. In Kerela, the competiticn tron other cash crope is a reel threat to the development or peppr plantations.
The indexrnlber ct wholesale prices or pepper~with 195%-53 as the base year steadily declined tro 48.1in 1954 to 21 in 1958 and this decline in prices compelledthe producers to lookrupon other crops. This neglect continue tor long, till the end of th second tire year plan(1960-Bi). Darin the period 1963-66 prioee began to improvefrom 32.4 in 1963 to 43.3 in 1966. A close study of themovement of the index nunher of wholesale prices of pepper
P M N RHQOAQ 3% ' QQ \<\ W6 “Q\’_ 0W M 5 MW E M O3 3 2 2 2 1 S_u_ _ _ A_ H__LR_tg‘i‘Ik _ R“\AN Wfa’___\H f '3 Q,“ 2.‘\ W,y AM M V ‘Tn ‘L IP Ya % __\ ___r O R'\GJ__\?“_a\‘-__ if%_\\ ____ 3 __|“_““\_‘__\_\ H_m\§8“ z\ \/NR 2_§Q* V \nL‘ W_ _ _%_$;m_F A _ Aéés &3 n "N u K M S 05'7479"JOT1'5&5HHIDNINMF
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toether with the developente in the area of cultivetionend podueticn during the eame period leede ue to thefollowing conelueione (1) when the prices reelieed are ethigher levele (abnormal) the fluctuations in the prieeo erealso much more pronounced and (2) declining prieee naturallytell upon the area under cultivation in the long period.
The iepect oi’ the price fluctuations ie felt inthe output level or pepper. Even though there vee eteedyinorenee in the erea of cultivation under pepper tron 89,000heeteree in 1055-80 to 103,000 hecteree in 1000-61, thepromotion reeeined the heme ee at the level oi the year1958-Se vie. 28,000 tonnee. In other ecrde, the yield perhectere decline fro 318 Kge. to 212 Kge. Unit value reeplieed from exporte of pepper from India sharing the pwiod
1950-5i to i974-75 ie given in Table No.1 in Appendix-I.
In e purposive eellple eurvey conmoted by the
euthor in 1913, covering all the dietriete or Kerele andimportant ereee or pepper cultivation with e etrueturedquestionnaire to mete en on the epot etudy oi’ the methods oi‘pepper cultivation, eulturel prectieee and the eoet ct proactiem or pepper, it wee revealed that the pepper grovere inthe dietriete of Triehur end Ernetuleu oi’ the Kerele State
ehowed e negative epproech for the development or pepper
cultivation during the period 1955-56 to i901-62. they
_H_0NINaInCIPUWQ ___§c_CQ___VO_____*\_~‘3‘ &U\m"U _o'°wt ___A * _ “i __ h \ _‘ _I ' _ _ A \ W R_ %QB ob 0E “R '_QL_\\‘ 5 Q pfi S ‘R S _8 H3 ‘G hm P;‘ _ 1_QI.‘ ____T_‘_.J~_1 __ '*U‘__%“&fibi IF u___F _*w:_E_W ¢Jm&m__V_ 2_ MWAIWQRO Qq_m:> m_w¢Q‘“__>< 7: 02%; mg4 Lzsv ;_‘M;_ OB \lM‘_\_&_ 8&2 mg mo“ 2 LP L__ _‘TQF Q%I QC‘922QanOom
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1955-56 to 1900-61 and remained more or leee at the cane
level till the year i065-66. The depreeeion in pricee IIImainly reeponeihle for thie phenomenon. However, there wee
an increaee in the area under pepper during the period1965-06 to 1974-'|'8 tron 102,000 to 123,000 hectaree. Anilportant point to be noted ie that the increaee in areamzriq the period i955-56 to 1900-Oi did not reeult in anyappreciable increeee in production. The production remainedetaticnary at the level of 28,000 tonnee whereae the areaunder cultivation ea increaeed by 14,000 hectaree. In othereorde, the averge yield per hectare declined tron 315 Kg.to 212 Kg. daring the period 1958-80 to ioeo-oi. Area,production and yield (with index) ct pepper in India tor theperiod 1949-50 to 1972-73 in given in Table No.11! llAppendix-I.
Evmthongh the area under pepper cultivationremained alloet etationary till the year 1965-60, the yieldper hectare continually declined tron 272 Kge. per hectarein 1960-01 G0 228 K38. in 1005-00¢ The 1001' 1968-61 Iltllfllill
a euhetantial increaee in the area oi cultivation of pepper.None-the-leee, the yield per hectare continued to decline@111 the year 1900-to when u reached the loveet yield per
hectare with 312 Kge. per hectare. ‘Thereafter, it ieprovedin the encceedig yearn owing to better pricee available inthe market. According to the official eetimate, the yield perhectare vorke out at 235 Kga. in i073-74 and 230 Kge. in
4li
District-vine area, procnction and yield of pepperin Kerala state (Area in hectares, procuction in tonnee,yield in kilogrma per hoctardtor cm period 1910-11 to1974-15 are given in Anneamre No.1.
Apart {rm the prohleae ariaing out ct climaticvagerice and ecological iactore the Iloet iaportont problelfacing pepper production in tho low yield and coneeqnenthigh coat ct production. The cultivation or pepper in Indiain ot the most primitive torn. The only thing the tamerdcea ie tho plmting or pepper cuttings at the bane ct anytree in the homestead garden. Little attention in given tothe crop subsequently. A more inteneive torn or cultivationespecially in Oannanore and Calicnt dietricte ct Kerala, into grow the vinee ea a pure plantation on a ehacing etancardlike Brythrina Indica. Even hero the operations include onlyland clearing, diggiq round the vino once a year and chaning and training, in tho first two yoare oi’ planting. Manuring is aeldoa mac in the majority ct the caeee. The traditional practice in those oaeee of pure plantations was tonee ‘virgin lands nndcr forests on hill elcpee. Ho replanting vac practiced. The eitnation ie however changing. TheI-and Retorae Act has curtailed tho acopc tor the practice
S
ct raining pepper vines on the hill elopee on plantationhacie
The average cine oi’ tam holdinge in Kerala in0.73 hoctaree against the national average oi 2.16 hectaroe.
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The veet eejority oi the tereere belong to the group oienell ma marginal fen-mere. These emell terllere havenetnrelly e tendency to reiee perennial tree erope endeeouel or eeeecael ereoe te eeet their oeeee eon requireeeete. they ere not generally ettreoted toverde multivatioe oi pepper under eonooultore, even it ell time of incentivee and eeeietmee ere extended to thd. meouregeeent oi’eeell-eeele pleatiage by grovere in their hooee eoepoondeem! in eeell heldinge ee ea inter-erop ie the only eey oi’ioereeeing the pepiu production ee tar ee, at leeet, Kereleie oeeeeroee. _
In Kerele, average yield per vine ie reported tohe below 0.38 Kg. Thie lee yielfi ie attributed to the eunletive reeolt oi’ the geoetie ohereeterietiee or the pleatedvarieties, euile etege or vieee end ioedeqoete eoltivetionpreetioee. The Malabar Bleek pepper ie e eixtnre of oerrieetrol e large amber oi’ dittereet verietiee ot pepper greeneoetly in the state or Kerele vie. ' 3 ,E.!£!9.l2'v '5"?--E-E---Li 311' o' '' ete. may of the mm»: 0fll$lY8i=Q:*:' greenin Indie are either eheoee eeedlige or mtetioae, eeleotedfor deeireble ehereoterietiee all maintained by vegetativepropagation. The elenel eethed ot propagation hoe nee itpoeeihle to ii: the vigour mo other ohareetere or the cultivei:-fst 1%. fine oi’ ell the variability new toned in the eomerh
oiel varieties or oeltivere loo! have been derived tree e
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characteristics or this hybria vinc'PcnciEgi' in comparisonwith thooo oflficlluvallf is given in Aonomro-II. TIIII thoproductivity potmticl oi"Pacni;5;=§ is indood trnndonc.
Apart tron tho loo yicld or popper in tho existingplantings, thorn are two carious diaoccoc of popper both oiwhich cttoot tho yicld. Iocidonco or wilt diaouo in notion!to tho important pcopor growing regions oi’ Ccnncaorc and
coliont Districts. ‘rho prcaooco of this disease is also foundin Bomllangcd and Kcajircppclly cto. in tho southern Rogion.Mara of upto 20 per cont are gcncrclly rcportod in coltplantation: and it in not uncommon to coo plcotatiuo oncolotoly dootroytdt Another‘ major factor attcoticg tho prohotioaof poppor lu'E_l_lg"(ho1low--berry) ococod by Pollu Plco bootleTho hootlo damages tho hurries by outing may tho entire oocdand latig the berry hollow. The pact in very ccriooc capoolally in North Korala and in ocrtcin yearn, it in rcportocl,tho dulcgo in co high as 40 per coat.
lccording to tho Bircotoratc of Agrloulturo, Kornlostate, popper production in tho Kcrclc Rtatc is mostly in thohands oi’ small holdors. about 4i par cont oi’ tho total holdings arc onc hootaro or loan, 37 por cont of the holdiogl,i to 2 hootcrol and 15 pcr cont, 2 to 3 hootol-co.‘ The quantity ct popper produced by the majority or individual tcrncrc
ll very often ho too cull a quantity tor proper proccaaiag,vi
‘Marco: Anantha Narayaha Iycr, Rt, ‘Problem 0% Mfg%ltivction in %filc', lctorna oca .0! nor onQ Q "Q PQPN-300
